1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to an electrophotographic image formation apparatus such as a printer, a copier, or a facsimile machine and a fixation device incorporated in the same.
2. Description of Related Art
An electrophotographic image formation process includes a series of steps, such as a charging step for forming a uniform charge on the surface of a photoreceptor, an exposing step for irradiating the surface of the photoreceptor with light to form an electrostatic latent image, a developing step for applying a charged developer to the electrostatic latent image to form a developer image on the photoreceptor, a transferring step for transferring the developer image to a medium such as a paper sheet, and a fixing step for fixing the developer image transferred onto the medium to the medium.
In the case where a powder developer is used, in the fixing step, a developer image is generally fixed to the surface of the developer on a medium by heat and pressure. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-24895 discloses a belt-heating fixation device. This fixation device includes a heated fixation belt and a pressure roller facing the fixation belt. The fixation device is configured for a paper sheet having a developer image thereon to be inserted between the fixation belt and the pressure roller and fix the developer image to the paper sheet by heat and pressure. The fixation belt is a looped endless belt, and is driven by a rotational roller member which contacts the inner surface of the fixation belt.